Cade Cunningham’s Last-Second 3-Pointer Leads Pistons Past Heat

Miami, FL – In a thrilling finish on Wednesday night, Cade Cunningham led the Detroit Pistons to a dramatic 116-113 comeback victory over the Miami Heat at Kaseya Center, netting a game-winning 3-pointer with just 0.6 seconds remaining. This game marked Cunningham’s ninth triple-double of the season, contributing 25 points, 12 rebounds, and 11 assists to the team’s success.

“Just go get one, find a way,” Cunningham said after the game. “It is something I love to do. To have the trust of your team to be put in that situation to go win the game like that is a blessing. All glory to God.” The Pistons rallied from an eight-point deficit in the fourth quarter, with key plays from teammates that helped turn the game around.

Detroit was down by as much as eight in the fourth but closed the gap numerous times. Ausar Thompson‘s layup at the 3:40 mark brought the Pistons within one point at 109-108. Following a defensive push, Jalen Duren‘s follow-up dunk on a missed shot gave Detroit a brief lead at 110-109.

However, an immediate response came from Miami as Tyler Herro sank a 3-pointer to reclaim the lead. On the next possession, Cunningham again stepped up, scoring to put Detroit ahead 113-111. In a tense finish, Herro would tie the game by drawing a foul on Duren and converting two free throws.

Pistons head coach J.B. Bickerstaff praised his team’s resilience after the game. “It was an interesting game because we were just trying to find our way. I thought our guys did a great job of keeping it close until we could figure it out,” he said. “But I thought our guys in that last four-minute stretch defensively were phenomenal. They gave us an opportunity to go out and win the game.”

Duren recorded a double-double for the Pistons with 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Thompson added 14 points. Malik Beasley came off the bench with a strong performance, knocking down five 3-pointers to score 16 points.

With this win, the Pistons improved to 39-31 overall and maintained a perfect record on their current road trip following a decisive 127-81 victory over the New Orleans Pelicans earlier in the week. This season, Bickerstaff has emphasized defense and physicality as cornerstones for the team’s development, and those pillars have been evident in their recent performances.

Since January 1, the Pistons boast the league’s best defensive rating at 108.7 and lead in points scored in the paint, averaging 58.9 per game. Bickerstaff noted, “From Day 1, it is something that we have talked about, the belief that if you can become a good defensive team, you can change your fortunes more quickly.”

Despite Detroit’s strong defensive effort, the Heat had a solid start, leading 32-22 at the end of the first quarter, bolstered by Bam Adebayo‘s nine points and Herro’s matching output. Detroit, however, found their stride, going on a run that allowed them to take a brief lead in the second quarter before trailing Miami 60-58 at halftime.

The Pistons not only won the game but also the regular-season series against the Heat, securing three victories for the first time since 2014-15. The anticipation now turns to their upcoming match against the Dallas Mavericks, with tip-off scheduled for 8:30 p.m. at American Airlines Center. After that, they will return home to face the New Orleans Pelicans on Sunday to start a three-game homestand.